Over the past 10 to 15 years, I've read the news articles on 23 plant closings in Niagara County that detailed the shutdowns of Carbide Graphite and Vanadium and the laying off of workers at Dupont and St. Gobain.  Each time, the issue was the same: If the Unions didn't give back on wages and Health Care, they'd close down and move.  But even after good faith bargaining and givebacks, it was only a matter of time and those companies decided to close down anyway - at the expense of the local workforce.

Companies, Corporations and Businesses are continuing to sell out the American Dream of the Middle Class in America to the highest bidder - be it China, Japan or other Third World countries.  

We've lost over 3.5 million manufacturing jobs in the last five years at the expense of the American Worker.  The so-called skilled jobs that have been created by past Administrations in Washington are also being exported overseas.  What's now left are jobs created by the Walmarts of the world - but at half the wages and without benefits for the average worker.

American companies like IBM, Dow, Delphi - and even the American Auto Manufacturers - are building new plants in China, Mexico and other Third World countries to exploit cheap labor, child labor and to avoid environmental laws that keep our workplaces safe.

It's totally obscene for American Workers to have to go two and three years without a bargained contract like some do.  The same thing has happened to Public Sector Workers, some are going into their third year without a contract.

American Companies today are using bankruptcy as a means to null and void Labor Contracts that were bargained in good faith to protect workers wages, pensions and benefits.  

Workers trusted their companies and now many workers have lost everything.

Two-hundred multi-national corporations - or about 30% to 40% - say they plan to change substantially their worldwide research and development work over the next three to five years, with that work going to China and India.

I believe it's Un-American for companies like IBM, Dow Chemical, Hewlett-Packard and Delphi to open new companies in China and India without paying a dime in taxes back into the American Economic System.

There's no loyalty to our America by the Fortune 500 Companies - only greed and the almighty dollar that now rules.

Finally, we - the American workforce - have lost economic and financial control that continues to fuel the fires of anti-Unionism and anti-worker sentiment with continuous exportation of good American Jobs to Third World countries.

So what needs to be done?

It's time for the American people to take back our country and this election year is a good place to start.  What we do at the ballot box affects our breadbox, and everyone - from the youngest to the oldest - should say enough is enough and work hard this year at the local, state and national level to elect candidates that will deal with down to earth people issues and concerns.

This country was built brick-by-brick and board-by-board and workers were the ones who made businesses profitable - both working together to build a Middle-Class Standard of Living that is second to none.

So, WAKE UP AMERICA!

It's your country to save.

We need to stop the abuse of the negative powers that are stealing it blind.

Today, our country is mortgaged by more than 40% or approximately four or five countries.

If they called in our debt to them - they could cause the total collapse of our country.

It's time to stop the Great American Give Away and save our country for our children and grandchildren and the American Way Of Life - before it's too late.

Earl A. Frampton

Communications Director - Retired

Niagara/Orleans AFL-CIO Labor Council